Bubbler cap construction



Aug. 23, 1932. w. G. LAIRD BUBBLER CAP CONSTRUCTION Filed March 5. 1930 wlLuR @.LAIRD @Mr M5 @lum/ma 4 Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILBUR G. LAIRD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 HEAT TREATING COMPANY, OF

. YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE BUBBLER CAP CONSTR'U CTION Application led March 5, 1930. Serial No. 433,246. Y

This invention relates to improvements in bubble cap column construction and more particularly to a construction wherein the bubble cap may be completely removed from and easily attached to the tray of the bubble cap column.

This construction is particularly adapted for use in rectifying columns in which petroleum vapors are intimately contacted with liquid petroleum but it may also be used in other arts for intimate contact of gas and liquids, such as distillation, saturation, chemical reaction, gas scrubbing and for various other purposes.

The present method of construct-ing a complete bubble cap tray involves, along with -a useless and extraordinary waste of time, a`

great deal of unnecessary labor, and is unnecessarily troublesome. In the usual method of construction, the column is erected with the trays in place, the vapor riser pipes and the caps not having been previously fitted. Itis necessary for a man to enter the column and to permanently attach the pipe and caps by rolling, bolting, or other method, or as in the case of a column with removable bubble caps for two men to work in the column, one above and one below the tray.

One of the chief objects of the present invention is to overcome these defects and objections by providing an easily attachable riserpipe and bubble cap proper which will, with slight effort and minimum trouble take .but a small fraction of the time to install, as

that it will be a quick and a simple matter to clean the caps and pipes and thus to put the apparatus in condition for another run in a comparatively short time.

Another advantage of this invention is that the complete bubble cap referred to may be manufactured or cast on a large scale wlthout regard to slight variations in the thickness of the tray and other dimensions wh1c h it is usually necessary to ascertain With precision in the manufacture of bubble caps;

Other objects and advantages of the inven-l tion willbe apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the 'accompanying drawing, in l which:

' Fig. 1 nis a top plan view of a portion of a bubble cap column tray showing a single bubble cap, part of the cap being broken away to show the lower construction thereof;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the bubble cap column tray showing the structure of a single bubble cap and related parts; 'a

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the bubble cap showing a modified form of construction.

.Referring to Fig. 2 of the drawing, 2 indlcates a portion of a bubbler tray in `which are theusual openings 4 to accommodate vapor rlser pipes.v `In accordance with the present invention a vapor riser pipe 6 is provided with a shoulder 8, which is machined to rest upon and sit in the opening 4 in tray. 2, giving a substantially gastight but easily removable connection as at 10. Extendingover the riser pipe 6 and resting on the shoulder 8 thereof by means of brackets 12is a bubble cap proper 14. This cap, a one piece casting in the usual form, which extends over and incloses the upper portion of the riser pipe, contains the usual serrations 16, in the lower edge thereof, brackets 12 fashioned so that the cap 14 will yest firmly on the shoulder 8 in a. substantially horizontal position and an indicator 18, the ur pose of which will be set forth hereina er. The cap is bored off center through a shoulder 20 to accommodate a locking bar 22. The shoulder 20 serves to maintain the bar sulo` stantially parallel to the ysides of the cap. On the bar 22 and formed as a part thereof is a nib '23 positioned slightly below the shoulder 20 of the cap. This nib prevents.

than 90 with respect to the axis of the bary so that in one position in respect to' the cap it will engage with the bottom of the bubbler tray as at .24, the resilience of the bar allowing it to be turned until :the parts of the bubble cap are firmly clamped together and to the tray 2. In the opposite position the locking bar will be totally disengaged from the tray, and, on raising the bubble cap proper, the bar may be completely lifted through the riser pipe. Mounted upon the cap'14 and loosely fitted thereto by means of corrugated surfaces 26, is a handle or operating member 28 which is attached to the locking bar 22 by means of a cotter pin 32. The handle 28 is provided with a pointer 30.

The improved bubble cap as above described is installed in the following manner: The vapor riser pipe 6 is placed. in position in the opening 4 in the bubbler tray 2 with the shoulder 8 resting firmly on the tray, and the bubble cap proper 14, is placed over the vapor riser pipe with the brackets l2 lresting on the shoulder 8. During this time the locking -bar 22 is kept in a disengaged position as shown in the drawing, which position is indicated to the operator by the point 30 on the handle coinciding with the indicator 18. The bubble cap is now in position and a quick tur-n of the handle, until the bubble cap is firmly clamped to the tray, locks all parts of the apparatus in place.

The corrugated surfaces 26 will allow a relatively free movement between the handle 28 and the bubble cap proper 14, when the locking bar is notengaged. However, when the locking bar is engaged with the underside of the bubbler tray the corrugated surfaces will grip each other and tend to hold the bubble cap in a locked position, thus preventing it from working loose. Inasmuch as the bubble cap must withstand many vibrations which may have a tendency to work the cap loose this feature of the present invention is very desirable.

The trays of the bubble cap column which are provided with the improved bubble cap constructed in accordance with theresent invention may be cleaned in the fol owing way: After the column 'has been shut down the manhole above each tray may b e opened and a few caps removed on each tray. The various bubble caps are loosened by turning the handles on the caps until the locking bars are in the disengaged position and the caps and riser pipes are then removed. If the riser pipes tend to stick in the openings 4 they may be easily knocked loose with a mallet. The trays may then be cleaned by al of the old caps and risers from the tra s.

is to insert the improved riser pipes in t e openings already in the tray and' assemble as described above. The caps proper may also be used without removal of old riser pipes. It will be seen that the improved bubble cap is adaptable to any tray regardless of the slight variations in the thickness of aol the tray, because the bent end of the locking bar 22 is at an angle such that any change in tray thickness merely changes the degree of turn to be given to the handle. Consequently, this peculiarity may be disregarded when using the bubble cap which is the subject of the present invention.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 3 the handle 28 is omitted and the locking bar 22 is formed with a square shank 34 on the upper end thereof to permit the locking mechanism to be operated with a wrench or detachable handle. In this construction a square holed washer 36, fitted to the shank 34, and a cotter pin 38 hold the locking bar 22 in place and prevent it from slipping through the shoulder 20. The undersi de of the washer is formed with corrugations so as to loosely fit with the corrugations on the bubble cap proper. The corrugations on the washer 36 function the same as the corrugations on the attached handle as previously described. This modified construction may be operated in substantially the same manner as the apparatus heretofore described but it has an additional advantage in that there will be a lessened possibility of breakage of the parts during shipment due to the omission of the handle.

Unless otherwise indicated it is to be understood that by the term bubble cap proper is meant that part overlying and resting on the shoulder of the vapor riser pipe, including the locking arrangement, and by the term bubble cap is meant the complete bubble cap including the riser pipe and the cap proper with the locking arrangement.

Having. described the invention in its preferred form what is claimed as new is:

1. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus in which a bubble cap extends over a riser pipe fitted in an opening in the bubbler tray, the improvement which comprises a hand-operable locking mechanism, the operating means of which lies entirely above the cap, said mechanismbeing adapted to simultaneously and firmly secure the riser pipe and cap to the provement which comprises an oi-center resilientlocking member attached to Asaid cap and having a portion adapted to beswung into engagement with the underside of said tray, or disengagement therewith, .by rotating the member about the axis of its point of attachment to said cap.

3. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus in which a bubble Cap extends over a riser pipe. fitted in an opening in a bubbler tray, the improvement which comprises an off-center hand-operable locking member attached to said cap and having a portion so arranged as to simultaneously and firmly secure the riser pipe and cap to the tray or to completely release the riser pipe and ca from the tray according to the radial positlon of said portion of said locking member.

4. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus in which a bubble cap extends over a riser pipe fitted'to an opening in a bubbler'tray, the improvement which comprises a hand-operable locking member attached to said cap, and having a portion adapted to firmly secure the cap to the tray over the riser pipe, said locking member comprising an element adapted to be swun into engagement with the underside of sai tray.

5. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus in which a bubble cap extends over a riser pipe fitted to an opening in a'bubbler tray, the im provement which comprises an. off-center locking member attached to said cap and having aportion so arranged as to engage or completely disengage the underside of said tray according to the radial position in which said portion of said locking member is placed,

` and means adapted to utilize the tension in said locking member to hold saidmember in locked position in engagement with said tray.

6. In a'gas and 'liquid contact apparatus 1n which a bubble cap extends over a riser pipe fitted in an opening in a bubbler tray, the improvement which comprises a hand-o erable locking bar attached to said cap, said ar being bent at its lower end and adapted to simultaneously and firmly secure the riser pipe and cap to the tra 7. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus in which a bubble cap extends over a riser pipe fitted to an opening in a bubbler tra the improvement which comprises a locking bar attached to said cap, the lower endof said bar being bent at an angle of more than 90 with respect to the axis of said bar, said bar being adapted to firmly secure the cap to said tray over said riser pipe. i

8. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus in which a bubble ca extends over a riser pipe fitted to an opemng in a bubbler tray, the

im 4rovement which comprises an off-center loc n0r bar attached to said cap, said bar bein bent at its lower end and adapted'to firm y secure the-cap to the tray over said riser pipe.

9. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus 'in which a bubble cap extends over a riser pipe fitted in an openingin a bubbler tray, the improvement which comprisesan off-center locking bar attached to saidy cap, said bar being bent at its lower end at an angle of more than 90o with respect to the axis of said bar and adapted when rotated into locking position to simultaneously and firmly sev cure the riser pipe and cap tosa'id tray'.

10. In a gas and liquid contact apparatus in which a bubble cap extends over a riser pipe fitted to an opening in a bubbler tray, the improvement which comprises a locking bar attached tosaid cap, said bar being bent at its lower end and adapted to firmly secure the cap to the tray over the riser pipe, and means for holding said cap in a locked position. n

11. In a gas and ,liquid contact apparatus in which a bubblecap extends over a riser pipe fitted to an opening ina bubbler tray, the improvement which com rises an off-center. locking' bar attached to said cap, the lower endv of said bar being bent atan angle of more than 90 with respect tothe axis of said bar and adapted to firmly secure the cap to said tray over said riser pipe, and means for holding said capin a locked position. t

12. A bubbler cap construction comprising a bell-shaped member extendinvr over a riser pipe in a bubbler tray., a rotatable locking bar attached to the upper portion of and extendin through said bell-shaped member, said bar eing bent at its lower end at an angle of more than 90 with respect to the axis of said bar and adapted,'when the bar is r0- position.

/ In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILBUR G. LAIRD. 

